Upper Wye, a golden evening
The magical hour
River Wye.
June 5th
Some of the most exciting fishing you can experience happens in the gloaming. Just as the light drops and all becomes monochrome, fish can appear as if by magic. Not in ones and twos, but by the dozen and in places you may never have seen them before.
The upper Wye has moments like this. Slow water and glides that appeared barren in daylight become covered in rings, as fish after fish starts to feed. Some are the regular half to three-quarters of a pound scrappers, but amongst these fish there are bigger trout. They sometimes announce their presence by bigger and deeper rings; but not always. Sometimes the most delicate sip is made by a fish that tops two pounds.
As the light drops, it can be hard to see your fly, especially when the fish have a preference for small offerings sat in the film. It sometimes pays to reverse normal practice. Rather than avoiding glare, try to position yourself so the fly appears as a black speck in the silvery surface reflection. Well it works sometimes, and nobody wants to leave the party when the fish are up but the light is definitely down.
Upper Wye, a golden evening
The magical hour